


Bridging the Gap

by tinybox



Series: Rewind (fast forward) [5]
Category: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (TV 2003), Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - All Media Types
Genre: Brothers, Clones, Families of Choice, Time Travel, Video & Computer Games
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-02
Updated: 2019-02-02
Packaged: 2019-10-21 02:34:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,560
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17634398
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tinybox/pseuds/tinybox
Summary: Sometimes it isn't grand gestures or heroic speeches that have the greatest impact.(Mikey teaches Dark Leonardo how to play video games.)Set during 'DNA is Thicker than Water.'





	Bridging the Gap

Mikey, despite his appearance and behavior, is still a ninja, which is why he notices when Dark Leo enters the communal room. But Mikey's in the middle of playing  _Zombies Invasion On the Moons of Zonberg_ , so he doesn't look up. 

From the corner of his eye, he sees the dude watching the holoscreen with interest. Maybe he's never seen a video game before?

"You don't train often, and yet you still managed to defeat us. How?"

Mikey pauses the game. Dark Leo is standing next to the couch, intently staring at him, clearly waiting for an explanation.   

Kind of creepy.

"What do you mean, dude? I'm training right now." 

Dark Leonardo looks at the screen, his gaze somewhat disapproving, and Mikey realizes that he's seen that expression before, on his Leo whenever he gets into Leader Mode and suddenly becomes super serious and loses his sense of humor. It's a bit warped, but the intent is still there. It's kind of weird, seeing an echo of his brother in someone else, but at the same time, there's something comforting about the familiarity.

"This isn't training. You're just goofing off."  Dark Leo states, and he even manages to get the Disappointed Leo Voice right. However, unlike the real Leo, he might be persuaded to actually have fun.

"You may think that," Mikey replies, "but these games are actually an excellent training tool, as well as being a ton of fun to play. I consider it a win-win scenario."

The other turtle's brow is furrowed. Clearly he doesn't understand. But the expression on his face reads 'mildly interested' and not 'serial killer' so Mikey continues talking.

"Here, dude, why don't I show you? This is a two player game, and I need some backup anyway. Here, take this remote."

Dark Leo takes the offered remote, which looks comically small in his much larger hands. 

"Okay, now sit down on the couch."

Dark Leo dubiously glances at the couch. Eventually, he sits down, leaving a considerable gap between them. 

"What is the mission?"

"So, our characters are on a moon base, and it gets attacked by zombies, and we have to fight them off. You move by pressing here, and you shoot with this button, but you have to aim first. Lemme add your remote first."

The controller briefly flashes in Dark Leo's hands. "Ok, it's now connected. We're starting the next stage, so we have to pick a character to fight with." Mikey scrolls through boxes with various characters' faces on them. He selects one.

"Okay, now pick your character."

Dark Leo considers the screen, before picking the first option. 

"Good choice, dude. That's the Mysterious Man, and he's got psychic powers that he can use to zap zombies from a distance. My favorite character is Paul, cause he's the fastest and he has super punching powers."

Dark Leo looks faintly confused. 

"Okay, we're starting off in the laboratory stage. This is Story Mode, and there are a couple of cutscenes during some of them. Usually I skip them, but Cody says the next one is pretty good. We just got to make it through the level first."

Mikey starts the game.

"See those zombies, you have to shoot them with your powers."

Dark Leo aims and fires off a shot. The zombie collapses, and then quickly vanishes.

"Awesome. Okay, what we have to do is get the the control room. Follow me."

Mikey's character starts moving forward. Dark Leo's character follows behind. 

"Crap! It's the mega zombies! Quick, duck!"

Mikey's character ducks, but Dark Leonardo's character does not. 

"Oh, right. Press Q to duck."

Mikey's character fires off a shot at the much larger zombie, but unlike the earlier one, does not collapse. 

"This one's a lot stronger. I think we have to run, dude!"

Pointing the controller in the opposite direction, both characters run backwards down the hallway. The sound of crashing footsteps echo behind them. 

"It's following us! We have to hide! Look for an air vent or something!"

They run into a crowd of smaller zombies. "Crud, we can't make it through!"

The HP bars on their characters begin dropping.

"Poison gas! We have to get out, we don't have enough HP!"

Both of the characters collapse. The screen turns dark.

"UGHHH, I hate it when this happens!"

Now the screen reads 'LEVEL FAILED. Try again?'

"Wanna try again?" Mikey asks. 

Dark Leo doesn't let go of the controller, so Mikey takes that as a yes. He starts the level up again. This time, their characters spawn in a lab room. 

"Okay, I think I see an air vent. Follow me. Oh, and press QR to crawl, and release it to stand back up."

"These air vents seem to be impractically large."

"Awww, don't be such a hardass." Mikey bumps his shoulder against Dark Leo's. 

The dude freezes for a second, and Mikey thinks  _I screwed up_ , but then Dark Leo says "Are we going to keep standing here?"

Mikey lets out a breath. "Nah, we can keep going. Watch out for the wobbling vents, otherwise you'll fall down."

They encounter a few smaller enemies along the way, but each are easily dispatched with a single shot. 

Eventually, they reach a smaller door. "Okay, next is the chasm. I haven't been able to get past this area, so I have no clue what's next."

Both guide their characters through the door. 

Now they're standing in a large room, a huge pit blocking them from the door on the other side.

"See those floating pipes? You can use them to cross. The platforms will shake when you land on it, and it's slippery, too. Sometimes zombies will fall from above, so you have to watch out for them too. Press B to grab onto things. Got it?"

Dark Leo nods.

Mikey starts leaping across each pipe, with Dark Leo's character close behind. 

"Good skills, dude! Wha-"

Mikey's character slips, and Mikey furiously presses buttons as he clings to the pipes. "Shoot! Okay, keep going dude! Only one of us needs to make it to the end."

Dark Leo's face is blank.

Onscreen, his character reaches down, and pulls Mikey's character up.

"Thanks, dude!"

They manage to leap across the platforms and make it to the other side. 

"Sweet! Checkpoint time!"

 

With Dark Leo's help, they actually manage to beat the level. Mikey whoops. 

"Fistbump!"

Dark Leo looks at his raised fist. He now looks wary.

"Oh, right. Hold up your arm about to my level, and then curl your hands into a fist. Then we bump em together like this."

When Dark Leo raises his hand into a fist, Mikey bumps his hand against the other turtle's, then slowly pulls his hand away. 

"Whoosh!"

Dark Leo's hand is in the same position as before, but the wariness is his face is now replaced with bemused confusion.

"Good first attempt, dude! Here, let's try again. Bump your fist against mine, and then pull away like this." Mikey shows Dark Leo the motion again, making sure to go slower. 

"Ready?"

Mikey holds out his curled fist. "Fistbump!"

Dark Leo's fist gently taps Mikey's.

"Great! Now we both pull away, and while we're doing that we say WHOOSH! Ready, set, WHOOSH!"

Mikey pulls his arm back, and Dark Leo copies his motion, albeit a bit slower and more hesitant. 

"Great! Now all you need to do is say WHOOOSSH! Ready, set, WHOOSH!"

This time, the fistbump is less hesitant, and Dark Leo even quietly says "whoosh."

Mikey beams back. "Duuuudeee! You're becoming a real pro!"

Dark Leo looks surprised, but there's a hint of a smile forming on his face, a small amount of pride in the corners of his eyes. 

"Wanna try another round?"

"Okay."

 

Despite this, Dark Leonardo does not stay. He still attempts to betray the turtles, and ultimately fails, along with his 'brothers'.

When they return, bruised and angry, Darius rewards him with meat. He splits it between them, ignoring their bewildered expressions. Darrius says nothing.

Much later, he approaches Dark Michelangelo with a serious expression. His brother looks up at him, suspicious.

"What'd you want,  _leader_?" 

"I will now teach you a move that you will need to know."

"I already know how to fight, you jerk!" Now he looks angrier.

"This isn't a battle move, moron!"

"Huh?" His brother's anger has faded, to be replaced with confusion.

 _Is that what I looked like?_ Dark Leo wonders, but the thought quickly disappears.

"Hold up your hand, like this." 

"Ummmm...okay?"

"Now, make it into a fist."

"Uhhh...you want me to punch you? No way, dude, I ain't stupid!"

"No, you're not."

"Wha-"

Dark Leo takes advantage of Mikey's confusion.

"Now, watch."

His own fist bumps gently into his brother's, then pulls his hand away.

"Just like this. And when you pull your hand away, you say whoosh."

"You're insane!" Despite his harsh words, Dark Mikey looks intrigued.

"Try again." Dark Leo commands, and for once Dark Mikey actually follows his orders.

They tap their fists together.

"And then you say whoosh?"

"Exactly."

"Whoosh?"

"Yes, just like that. Good job."

His brother beams, grin stretching across his face, sharp teeth glinting in the harsh light. 

The temperature in the building did not increase, yet Dark Leonardo felt as though his chest was slowly filling with warmth.


End file.
